INTF90

Slight logic fault .... If all the Scottish airports are only open because they are state funded, then you are saying that without state funding they would all be closed.

So isn't that the Scots keeping airports open?

PS. What or where is MST? I presume Manston. Anne Gloag may be Scottish but not as Scottish as a government that bought _ and kept open _ that other Infratil airpoirtt, Prestwick.

Ok, time for a fact input. All these project airports, Manston, Blackpool, East Midlands, Liverpool, Leeds, Doncaster, etc etc, were bought and developed on the Lo Co model, and the ultra cheap, all you can buy, all you can eat, holiday of the packaged kind.

Now, with ever deepening austerity cuts, the fact that the assets are technically worthless, and a Tory government, that is widening these cuts, then some't has to give. And guess what, it is the holiday.

Sooner or later, all of these business models will go. Why? They are unsustainable, particularly with a bust bank as your funder, please take your pick of a choice of many. The private operators simply cannot go on losing money.

It is, INTF 90, not a Scottish problem. My only current regret, is that 2 million, sic allegedly, bought into the status quo deal. Time will tell what an inglorious error that was. War, what war? Vow, what vow?

What will happen to the GA operators, !! Just the same as happened at Manston --- Off you trot lads, thanks for your custom, and we really do not give a toss if your business fails!!!

3B. yep, and it is crap, and it is not good at all, but it is reality. There are centres of excellence in GA - Dunkeswell, Compton Abbas, Sherburn, etc, but they are GA centres, not Council/Big Business/Lets make a few quid operators, running larger than life and reality, real estate airports.

We have the bizarre set up in Scotland where a troupe of Private Operators have failed miserably with Prestwick. Even paying Ryanair to base a few 737's there, still could not make it work. Result, in a politically motivated move, the Scottish Government buy it for £1.00. The fact that it will require a massive subsidy to keep it running, is frankly financial nonsense. Root cause - no people, no customers, no business. The odd bit of freight, but that can easily be moved to Glasgow, or Edinburgh. Even Ryanair look like a lost cause, with routes opening at Glasgow and EDI.

Nope, the system is quite broken, and I do not see it being fixed any-time soon. Perhaps a last minute white knight will step up for Blackpool, but they better have lots of free cash...

What we as a flying community need to do is not bemoan the loss of another airport, but figure out how to make GA airports profitable.

(if possible before the deadline for this one, or before the council approves the building of hotels or whatever is planned)

If people are willing to drive to "the big city" to take their flights, there must be a reason.

If the operator isn't making a profit, there must be a reason (and yes, it's possible that they're complete idiots and wasting money, but it seems hard to accept that so many airports have the same problems and it's all because of idiots).

If pilots have stopped flying to the airport, there must be a reason.

There must be some profitable airports on this island. What do they do differently? What is the formula that works to make an airport profitable and necessary to the local economy?

I've said so before and I'll keep on saying: G/A will never bring in enough fees to operate an aerodrome commercially, with only professional staff. Not in a month of Mondays!

Either part of the cost is borne by local authorities, as is the case for a good many fields in France ("aérodrome municipal" they call it, and it might be comparable to what they do in the US), or you have the major part of work done by volunteers / club members - and that is how many fields work here in BE.

Barton will be next, You watch, Peel are just as bad.:ugh:

No it won't be, Peel have big plans for the whole area. The rail link is going in soon and the airfield is being upgraded not run down. All my best guess of course. Unlike Bpl, which has been subject to cost cutting for years. The big court case with Jet2, firemen being told to be baggage handlers and staff levels being cut to minimums everywhere. The writing has been on the wall for years.
GA costs at Bpl have been ridiculous as well, I was quoted prices that would make your ears bleed compared to smaller fields.

Present day security is yet anther nail in the coffin for the average GA pilot not to mention the "assistance" we get from EASA!!!!

Blackpool a place to avoid
 

Land..........

Leave airport for business meeting........

Return and pay landing fees & Ask for fuel ...........

Have to taxi to the other side of airfield to uplift fuel.........

After 20 min wait get fuel, but can't pay at pumps.........

Taxi back to other side of airfield to pay..... Another half hour taken with this !

Take off for for home as I have missed the next business appointment due to the faffing about.........

Conclusion................ Blackpool is run for the staff not the customers ......

That's why the staff will soon be out of work.......... They have actively discouraged my custom and no doubt others feel the same.

It's the airport's operational management, not the staff you should blame.

The majority of regional airports have very dysfunctional processes for light aircraft.

Who is to blame? Well all the employees and even us - I've complained about the arrangement in some places the answers are nearly uniformly in the 'jobsworth' category, lacking any sort of responsibility or even an undertaking to look at things. That might be done to management, but the employees rarely see "service" as one of their responsibilities which tells you why these businesses struggle.

If you were buying the airport management company - would you welcome onboard the 'team' that managed it into insolvency?

Future for other BB run airfields
 

If this is a strategic change of direction for Balfour Beatty, just wonder what the future holds for other aviation asset/airfields held by the Group?

Sadly, any regular user of the security 'system' at bpl will struggle to be sympathetic. Those who know what I mean just know, those who don't would never believe the stories if we told you. That was often down to personalities who ensured people vowed never to come back

Latest Rumour..Eddie Stobart is putting in a bid ASAP...

I was in a few weeks ago, and taxied over to the pump, filled up and paid right there in the wee builders buchtie next to the pump. The young guy that pumped the fuel was a real flying enthusiast and although i think it was his first time running a credit card for fuel he tried a few times then finally got how to enter the info into the computer and i was good to go, no problem

Piperboy
 

I'm pleased that the fuel faff has been fixed however I don't seem to be alone in having problems with the so called system !

Westair, Which is one of the main flying schools at Blackpool have today put this on social media. Good news at least for now.

"On 16th October the Airport may close as a category 7 airport. This will mean that schedule flights will not be able to operate out of Blackpool. After this date the airport will remain open but at a reduced category. We are not expecting this to affect Westair in a significant way. We will keep you updated with more news and we are working with the airport operators to keep any disruption to a minimum."

Statement re possible closure at Blackpool Airport
 

This one is from Pool Aviation/Hangar 3:

Statement re possible closure at Blackpool Airport

Re: Errigal Operation Based at Blackpool

We are writing this letter to you as a loyal customer of Pool, following a presentation that we have attended at Blackpool Airport at 1.30pm today. This was hosted by Stewart Orrell, MD of the Infrastructure Division of Balfour Beatty, the owner of Blackpool Airport.

You may have noticed that the Balfour Beatty Group has been having problems, including its third CEO in just over a year and a fourth profits warning of £75m this morning. As mentioned, the airport is owned by the Infrastructure part of Balfour Beatty (its most valuable division). However, the Airport still loses over £2m a year. Balfour’s have gone out to find a purchaser for the operating business and that process has been unsuccessful.

On 16 October the Airport may close as a Category 7 airport meaning no possibly no more Jet2 flights. The airport staff will be made redundant that day with the airport remaining open from the next day at a reduced level of category. We are told, and believe Balfour Beatty, that within weeks it will be back up and running at an operational level to support Pool Aviation and Bond (the helicopter & Irish Sea rigs company).

Moving on, our understanding is one buyer has progressed talks with Balfour Beatty and the sale is likely to conclude within the next two weeks. The buyer currently operates other airports.

In short, and with all the knowledge available, Pool will continue in the medium and long term to operate out of Blackpool but will, possibly, have a hiccough in October and may have to operate from Manchester, Liverpool or Warton for a short period.

Many thanks for your loyal support and apologies for any short term disruption but, as ever, we will endeavour to reduce the impact upon your trip in every way possible.

Pool Aviation NW Ltd.

AFN

Does a farm strip count as "other airports"?